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CHAPTER 19:

  CREEPY

  Fawn knew every crack in her ceiling. She twisted to look at the clock: 2:18 A.M. An hour earlier, she'd returned from circling the boundaries of Dream Catcher Ranch and making a pass over Crooked J Ranch's farm house and outbuildings. Everything had seemed peaceful and the feral horses were a safe distance from the Crooked J.

  Restlessness caused her to sit up. She had time for another flight. Her destination—the Anasazi ruins. She'd flown there a few times since coming to the ranch and surveyed the area while perched on a ledge, but for some reason, she'd been hesitant to physically enter and explore the ruins. Casting her apprehension aside, she slipped back outside and into the light of a full moon.

  Shifting into a nighthawk she navigated a straight path to the ruins. Landing, she prayed and shifted into a shapeling. The advantage of her natural form allowed for excellent night vision, speed, and dexterity; just what she needed to explore the crumbling stones. Although the shapeling form was structurally similar to humans, it presented as flawless and godlike to the few humans who had opportunity to see it.

  Dressed in typical shapeling clothing of finely woven white linen breeches and tunic, she moved from crumbling ruin to crumbling ruin exploring what had once been a home for the Anasazis. Avoiding the kiva, she walked the length and breath of the village. Finally, returning to the ceremonial area she stepped down into it, slowly walking the circle before turning toward the sipapu in the center.

  She heard a distant sound of a single horse's hooves and with incredible speed, jumped over the outer stones of the kiva and hid behind a crumbling wall. A small hole in the masonry allowed for a direct view of the kiva and sipapu. Patiently, she waited, making the decision to remain in her shapeling form. She could always shift and fly away if the need arose.

  The horse stopped below the cliff ruins. She heard shuffling sounds and then someone climbing the cliff trail. She wasn't surprised to see Gabe step onto the wide ledge supporting the village. He walked to the kiva, stepped down into it, and approached the sipapu. Grinning, he removed his boots and hat and took the lotus position as he had done before. Fawn waited. Suddenly, he shouted. "I know you're here!"

  Creepy tingles slithered from Fawn's toes to the top of her head. She almost shifted and flew away, but her love for Zoe compelled her to stay. She had to discover who Gabe was and why he had this strange connection to Zoe.

  He yelled again, "You might as well come out. I know curiosity is eating you up. Please, don't shift and fly away." He turned his head and looked directly at the crumbling wall she was using as covering.

  She stepped from behind the stones.

  Gabe exclaimed, "My God, you are simply incredible! More beautiful than I imagined. Would you like to join me?"

  "Not really."

  "But you do want to know who I am and why I'm here."

  "Of course."

  He laughed. "Zoe is my niece."

  Silence blanketed the ruins and not a sound penetrated it. Fawn drew a sharp breath. "You're lying."

  "Sometimes I lie, but in this instance, I swear it's the truth." He lifted his palms as if in supplication and then motioned across from him. "Take a seat and I'll tell you a story."

  "I'm fine where I am."

  He shrugged. "Have it your way." He placed his palms back on his thighs and closed his eyes. After a long time, he said, "Zoe's mother was my twin sister. We were born in Salem, Massachusetts." He smiled slightly. "You know the place where witches were burned, and even though they tried, they never got rid of all of us. We've always thrived. And really, wouldn't you agree that those religious fanatics were just as evil, maybe more so, than their prey." He didn't wait for a response. "Oh, and by the way, my name is Gabriel. I guess my parents were trying to make a statement. Who knows?" He shrugged again.

  "What's your point?"

  He continued speaking with closed eyes. "Please excuse me, I digressed. My point is that my sister and I are descended from witches that survived the witch trials. In addition to being psychically intuitive, our family has a gift that is genetically inherited. Of course, the scientific community would never believe its genetics… Excuse me, I digressed again. Suffice it to say, we all had the gift except my sister. No, that's not right, let me rephrase that, Kristal only got part of the gift.

  "You see, Fawn—and yes, I know your name—gossip travels in a small town, and I've heard all about the black-haired beauty living at Dream Catcher Ranch who's taking care of the crazy kid." He opened his eyes and stared at her. "Just imagine if they could see you in your true form."

  Fawn remained silent.

  "Ah, well. There are no words to describe your magnificence. You are breathtakingly beautiful and you must realize that everyone is wondering if you're taking care of Wade's needs, also."

  "You're digressing again."

  He grinned. "I apologize. I just couldn't help throwing out that juicy tidbit, but back to my story. My poor sister, as I said, only got part of the gift. You see, our family can see auras. However, Kristal could only see auras of evil. Although humanity is laced with good, evil, and everything in between, my sister could only see the shades attached to wickedness. Because everyone is not supremely good, honest, truthful, selfless, and all that crap, most people she encountered had greater or lesser shades of the putrid colors." He sighed. "The colors are hard to describe to someone who's never seen them."

  He paused as if allowing his revelation to sink in. "Needless to say, my parents were not happy about my sister's genetic malfunction. I, on the other hand, see all the colors. So how did I know you were standing behind that wall? Your aura gave you away. It radiates well beyond the wall, and I must say, it's exciting to meet another species. Your aura is entirely different from humans. I've heard rumors of a race that can shift into animals, but I'd always thought the tales exaggerated. The first time I saw your aura was as the white mare with the wild herd. Even darkness couldn't shadow it. Then you followed me as a bird and perched on a ledge, watching. Animals and humans have specific and predictable patterns and hues; yours were neither human nor animal. It was then that I was struck by the truth of the rumors about shifters—very, very exciting for me. When you took on that ridiculous form of a cow, your aura gave you away again. Of course, I figured out that you had to be here because of the kid. Why else would a shifter be hanging around Wade's ranch."

  "I'd rather you continue your story about your twin."

  "Yes, of course, back to my sister. My parents could not tolerate having a child who constantly pointed out people and revealed the depth of their wickedness; especially when those people were friends and family. Alas, she would not listen and constantly blurted things that should be spoken in private. The older she got, the more vocal she became. Finally, at the age of four, they gave her up for adoption, knowing that no one would believe her vocalizations."

  "That's horrible!"

  "Horrible or not, it is what it is. When I turned eighteen, I got the idea that I would find my sister. Was it because of my great love for her? Not at all. You see, I also got booted out of the house; it just took a little longer. After I left, I started my search as a hobby. It took many years, but I finally tracked her down."

  "How old are you?"

  "Now who's digressing?"

  "It's a simple question."

  "Yes, it is. I'm thirty-two. Unbelievable, right? As a warlock, I do have access to certain potions. I like the young, fresh-faced look—it opens a lot of doors."

  "So what happened after you found your sister?"

  "She didn't recognize me, which was to be expected given the amount of time since her adoption. But I used to go to her shop and browse all that cool stuff. Anyway, I don't think she liked my colors because she'd get all freaked out. Freaked out auras are quite stunning. She didn't know it, but I could see all of her colors. I could also see Zoe's. She's an Indigo child. How weird is that? She's descended from witches and yet she's been born with the indigo aura. It's a paradox t
hat boggles my mind. Imagining her abilities gives me goose bumps.

  "Anyway, back to my sister. After a time, I got tired of playing the game and revealed myself. She told me to leave and never come back. It kind of hurt my feelings so I wasn't too sad when she died. I hung around the area for a couple of months and was about to leave when something happened. I met this sexy gal and she invited me to a party at the Crooked J Ranch. What a hot babe! I couldn't resist having a fling before ditching this cow town, so I went to the party and met Dugger MacKenzie and we hit it off. Or rather, I should say, he took a liking to me. But just between you and me, I can't stand the bastard. During the party, the hot babe pulled me to a secluded spot behind some rocks, and I got my rocks…well, I'll save you the details. Afterward, she returned to the house and I was supposed to follow in a few minutes. While I waited, the strangest thing happened. I started hearing voices. Weird doesn't begin to describe it. Even though the voices were in my head, I could actually pinpoint the direction they came from. It took me a few hours to locate the canyon, but the voices kept calling, leading. I found the path to the ruins and spent the rest of the night where you see me now."

  "What do the voices say?"

  "Now it wouldn't be smart for me to tell you all my secrets."

  "What does this have to do with Zoe?"

  "Naughty girl, you're still trying to get me to divulge and it's not gonna happen."

  "Why have you chosen this life path? Obviously, your sister chose another path and Zoe has too. What do you hope to gain?"

  Gabriel grinned. "You do-gooders never cease to amaze me; always trying to save the world."

  Fawn shrugged. "I guess this means our conversation has ended. Hopefully, I'll never see you again."

  "Jeez, now I've offended you."

  "And you didn't even have to try."

  "You are a clever gir…er…whatever you are. Before you shift and fly away, I will tell you this. It's the same thing I told you before—you cannot save Zoe or the Prince."

  "You are seriously delusional," Fawn countered before shifting and taking to flight. Even from a far distance she could hear Gabriel's laughter bouncing across the ragged cliffs.

  CHAPTER 20:

  STUMBLE

  Concern for Zoe's safety weighed heavily on Fawn as she spent hours pushing puzzle pieces around in her mind. Her frustration mounted when none of the pieces fit. What did Gabriel want?

  Whenever the voices started, Zoe always came to Fawn and she would hold the child, speaking soothing words. At times, she wanted to guide Zoe into listening to the "ugly" voices, but instinct told her the child wasn't ready. Instead, she attempted to ease Zoe's fear enough to allow her to listen for the "pretty" voice. So far, she could still only understand: …love…Prince.

  Using cryptic language, Fawn shared her frustration with Rainey and Roth whenever she spoke with them via her cell phone. Her friends also kept her apprised of Davide's growth and all his "firsts": first laugh, first roll over, first time he followed his mommy's movement with his eyes. Fawn loved listening to her friends excitement over their child, and she often put the phone in speaker mode so Zoe could join the conversation.

  The Spencer household fell into a predictable daily routine. As fall approached, Fawn's frustration mounted not only because of her inability to decipher Gabriel's strange revelations, but a panicky feeling had pried its way into her heart. Her instinct told her Gabriel had not been speaking of physical harm coming to Zoe. He could have done that long ago. This went beyond physical and into the emotional or spiritual wellbeing of the child.

  For Fawn, a short getaway happened each week when Mrs. Porter picked Zoe up for piano lessons. Before the dust of her neighbor's car settled, she was out the back door and hiding behind the oak to shift into whatever bird caught her fancy. If she located Wade in a secluded section of the ranch, she'd find a spot to shift into the white mare and then gallop to meet him. At first, he'd cautiously approached her. Now, he'd whoop and wave his cowboy hat, dashing Misty toward the mare. Sliding off Misty, he'd straddle her bareback, and together they'd soar across his land. He'd even given her the name of Sweetheart. Sometimes at the ranch she'd hear the cowboys razzing him about the ghost horse he always claimed to be riding because she'd never shown herself to anyone but Wade.

  During one of their rides in early fall, a sudden gathering of clouds bumped and lightening zigzagged. The pasture darkened and water poured like dumped buckets. Leaning low and grasping her mane, Wade yelled for her to slow down, but the feel of him on her back and the pelting rain, excited her so much that she threw caution to the wind. He yelled again.

  Unexpectedly, her rear hoof hit a mud pocket and she went down, throwing Wade sideways off her back. He slid several feet from her in the muddy pasture. Shooting pain lanced her hind leg and she squealed. Wade jumped to his feet, sluicing mud from his body, and bent over her. "My God, No! No! Please God, don't let her be hurt."

  Fawn dug her hooves into the rain soaked earth and stood. Wade rubbed her neck and tried to sooth her. He zeroed in on her limp, and rasped, "Please, God, don't let it be broken." His expert hands felt the leg and he yelled above the downpour, "I don't think it's broken, Sweetheart." He reached for the walkie-talkie clipped to his belt as lightening split the sky asunder yet again. Shaking the device, he punched the buttons. "Shit!"

  Fawn needed to find a place to shift and she started to limp away.

  "No! Sweetheart, don't try to walk on that leg. I've got to get you to a vet."

  Fawn saw movement and glanced toward it. Wade followed the direction of her gaze. Misty stood in the distance under the covering of a boulder. Wade whistled to her, but lightening flashed, followed by a deafening boom. Misty remained in the protection of her shelter. Wade reached to wipe rivulets of water from his eyes because his Stetson had flown off when he'd gone down. He spat the words, "Damn! My cell phone's in my saddle bag." He turned back to Sweetheart, soothing her with words and touches. Then he said something that made her heart pound. "Sweetheart, we seem to have some kind of spiritual connection that I don't understand." He bent closer. "Don't leave. I've got to get help." Finally, he patted her neck and leaned his forehead against it before turning and running toward Misty.

  With his back to her, Fawn prayed, shifted into a sparrow, and flew skyward against the downpour. She had to get back to the ranch before Mrs. Porter brought Zoe home.

  Wade turned back around and shouted, "What the… Sweetheart, where'd you go?"

  Disregarding the weather and pain, Fawn rushed back to the ranch and landed under the fat oak. She placed weight on her left claw because of the shooting pain in her right, and instantaneously shifted into her human form. Grasping and digging her fingers into the bark of the trunk for support, she moaned at the pain traveling from her ankle upward. After gulping several breaths, she stepped from behind the tree and limped to the back porch. Leaning heavily on the railing for support, she climbed the steps and almost fell before reaching the back door. Inside the kitchen, she collapsed on a chair, fighting tears of frustration and pain. Your recklessness has done this.

  Suddenly, the door from the dining room swung open and Zoe rushed in. "Fawn! I'm home!"

  Fawn wiped her grimace of pain from her face, but it was too late. Zoe rushed over. "What's wrong? Are you hurt? Your colors don't look the same."

  Fawn willed her voice not to shake. "Silly me, I twisted my ankle coming up the back steps."

  Rain pounded on the roof and Zoe looked at Fawn's dripping clothes. "Why were you in the rain?"

  "I thought I left a book under the oak tree and went to retrieve it."

  Zoe looked at her curiously, but didn't say anything.

  "Why don't you help me to my room, honey, so I can dry off?"

  "Okay."

  Fawn held the table edge and pushed herself up so Zoe could put an arm around her waist. Slowly they shuffled down the hall toward Fawn's bedroom. Inside the bedroom, Fawn veered to the bathroom and sat on the edge
of the tub. Zoe handed her a towel and helped her unbutton her long-sleeved sweater. The pain in Fawn's leg became excruciating, which was one of the signs that it was healing. Shapelings healed rapidly; however, intense pain accompanied the process. She couldn't hold back a whimper as Wade's lanky frame filled the bathroom doorway. He said, "What's going on? I followed a trail of water here."

  Fawn lifted pain filled eyes to Wade's questioning ones and he sprang into action. Gently setting Zoe aside he knelt beside Fawn. "What happened, Zoe?"

  "I don't 'zactly know, Daddy. I came in the kitchen and Fawn was sitting at the table. She was all wet and I could tell she was hurting. She asked me to help her to her bedroom. She said she twisted her ankle when she went out in the rain to see if she left her book under the tree."

  "Zoe, go call Doc Jones. I showed you where his number is, remember?"

  "Okay, Daddy."

  "No!" Fawn forced the words through chattering teeth. "I'm okay. I don't want a doctor."

  Wade looked at Zoe and inclined his head toward the door. She rushed from the room.

  "Please don't call the doctor," Fawn pleaded.

  Wade ignored her and grabbed a towel. "We've got to get you out of these wet clothes, you're freezing." Pulling the already unbuttoned sweater off one shoulder and then the other, Wade gently slid it down her arms and removed it. Then he helped her remove her T-shirt. He placed a towel around her shoulders.

  "Which ankle is injured?"

  "The right one." Another wave of pain made her gasp and feel nauseous.

  "I'm going to palpate your ankle and leg to see if they're broken." He didn't wait for her approval. After gently probing, he said, "I don't think you've broken anything, but it would hurt like hell to pull these wet jeans down over your leg. I'm going to cut your pants off. Where's your scissors?"

  "Nightstand drawer."

  Wade left the bathroom and returned moments later with the scissors. Starting at the bottom of her jeans he gently cut upward. After he'd finished the left pant leg, he started cutting on the right. The pain had ebbed for the moment and she closed her eyes, focusing. Now that she had the ability to focus, she could aid the healing process by envisioning herself whole. All shapelings understood the power of focus and visualization. When she opened her eyes again, she saw her tattered jeans lying on the bathroom floor in a heap. She blinked and felt the cold hard tub beneath her panties. Wade had cut her free and she didn't even remember. He knelt on the floor before her, gently probing her ankle again. Zoe had returned and stood in the doorway watching.